When Past and Present Combine
by Tornado 666
Summary: Eiri Yuki has a rocky past but has always had people there to support him. Now, a girl from that past has reappeared, bringing old feelings with her. What happens when Eiri and Suichi have a fight? Possible lemon. EiriSuichi, TohmaOC, EiriOC, and hints
1. BlueEyed, BlueHaired Mistress

Tornado: Hi people! This is my first "Gravitation" fic. Just because I'm lazy and don't feel like putting a disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter, I don't own "Gravitation." So now you know. I am honored to present our feature fanfiction.

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The Blue-Eyed, Blue-Haired Mistress

There was something about the girl that Eiri Yuki could not describe. There was a feeling that was aroused when he shot a glance her way. It was that feeling that you get only when you lay eyes upon someone that you used to love but left. It was the feeling that he wrote about in his books just before his character committed adultery. Surely this was not an omen. Eiri, who knew all the signs of life for he had written about them in his novels, had a lover, who made him happy, and was not about to dispel all that he had endured and grown to care for just so he could bang some random girl for the night. Not even he, however, could ignore the feeling. It irked him in the deepest sense.

He observed her, marveling at her shadow hair that was accented in cobalt blue. Her long, thin hands flew across the keyboard of her laptop, pausing only when she, presumably, had not quite perfected the wording on whatever sentence she was currently dwelling. _Perhaps, she is an author. Or perhaps she is preparing a contract for whatever corporation she works for. Why do I even care?_ Yes, that was the true question. Why did he care? Not even the great romance novelist Eiri Yuki could answer that inquiry.

She had just downed her third soda when she finally ceased her ever-present movements. Stretching her hands and shoulders, she surveyed the room for the first time since her arrival. Her cerulean eyes, whose hue was an identical twin of the shade that streaked her first locks framing her face and tipped her hair, fastened on the contrasting golden hue of Eiri's. Her elegant brows furrowed as her hand came up to support her head. She diverted her attention to the waitress, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Would you like another Pepsi, Ms. Lireal?" the elderly woman asked.

"Yes please. Can you tell me who that man over there is?" the younger questioned, pointing to Eiri, who had turned back to his computer.

"That is the famous novelist Eiri Yuki. He's quite the looker, eh. Of course he's not real friendly to outsiders. He's a romance novelist."

"Thank you," Ms. Lireal responded before the waitress left.

She stared at the blonde for several minutes before deciding upon her resolve. She quickly began packing away her laptop in the leather that she used for transport. Upon having thoroughly packaged the electronic, she moved towards the so-called "hostile" novelist. She had thought that he had appeared familiar, but those golden eyes gave it away. She took a seat in the stool next to him. Her eyes pierced his head until he finally spun to face her.

"Is there something that I can do for you?" he snapped irritably.

"Boy, what crawled up your ass, Eiri?" she asked harshly.

"Look, lady, if you want an autograph choose a better time because I have a deadline to make."

"Why would I want your autograph? You know I hate romance novels."

"Who the hell are you!!" he asked rather loudly.

"Lower your voice. You're making a scene, Uesugi," the girl hissed.

"What did you just call me?" he said, lowering his voice slightly in surprise.

"Now that I have your attention," the girl said with a smile. "We can begin the true conversation. My name is Tora. Tora Lireal."

His mouth gapped a few inches upon hearing the name. Golden saucers replaced the orbs on his face, and brows contracted together. This girl could not be the one that had helped fill his past with enlightenment and comfort. If she indeed was the same Tora Lireal from the grand city of New York, she had played about as big a role as Tohma had. The girl continued to smile knowingly at him.

"What is the point of doubting your intuition? You are usually correct with your first thought," Tora stated.

"How do I know it's really you?"

"It's always why and how with you. Please don't make me tell you the sizes of Tohma's and your dicks in public," she replied smirking.

"Only a slut like you would play a card that dirty."

"I was only a slut for you and Tohma if you will recall."

"And Yuki," he whispered.

"No, he only bragged about that. They were baseless claims. Which reminds me, Eiri Yuki? Quite an interesting pen name, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah. I don't know why I chose that name."

"I do. You loved him." Eiri smiled a true smile, shattering the ice crystals that had long since formed.

"I guess so, but I still killed him."

"And you hated your father."

At this he laughed, causing the girl to smile even more. She had guessed from the cracking sound that had echoed when he smiled, that this was a rare event. She thought back to what Tohma had said to her on the phone before she left for Japan. "You may be a bit surprised if you happen to see Eiri. He's changed a lot since you last saw him. One other warning: he's been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Don't bring it up unless he does." _Oh, Eiri, if I ever had only one wish it were that you can finally escape your past, but you take it with you wherever you go. Are you trying to punish yourself for what you think you have done wrong? Or are you accepting your past and keeping it as a brutal reminder of all you have done?_

"So," he started. "What has the great warrior Tora Lireal been doing since our departure?"

"I followed your example and taken the job as an author."

"You always enjoyed writing much more than me."

"We wrote for two very separate reasons. You wrote because you had to and because you needed to think out what your options were: you wrote to deal with reality. I wrote to escape it. I hated the world I lived in and couldn't accept myself. I was your stereotypical teenager. I graduated from that level of angst and moved to pitying the helpless world."

"Once a rebel, always a rebel. I see that with age has come a more daring persona. Perhaps even a more whimsical mind."

"I'm not the fairytale enthusiast that I once was. I prefer a more violent, gory tale. Just like you, I too have changed a good deal since we last assembled. Enough about me. What is the life of Eiri Yuki like?"

"Have you talked to Tohma?" She nodded. "Well, I'm told that I'm a schizo. Since you're not surprised I'll take it to mean that you already knew that. So into the part of my life that I know you'll be surprised. I have a lover. I've actually maintained that same lover for two years. I've been known to be a womanizer and to have many lovers at the same time."

"Why I am supposed to be surprised?"

"Because my lover is … well… a man," he whispered.

She stared at him. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped. All in all, she was not totally surprised because of her experiences with Eiri and Tohma, but then he had said that it was teenage hormones. Now he was a full-grown adult, and he was bluntly admitting that he was gay. Eiri was gazing at her with a countenance of embarrassment and a bit of hopefulness. She shrugged, allowing Eiri to relax.

"What did you think that I would care? Please, I'd been telling you for a long time that you were bisexual, but you always came up the that stupid teenager hormone crap. You were in denial back then. I think that it's good that you're not lying to yourself anymore. I won't hold it against you if you maintain the straight image with the media. They're a bunch of sharks."

"They know. They've known for about a year. I came out and told them. Of course that took a reckless move fro my lover to make it so."

"This is surprising. Who is you lover, if you don't mind me asking? I know it's not Tohma, so who is it?"

"Have you ever heard of the band Bad Luck? Yes? Okay, well you know the lead singer? The pink-haired idiot well that's him."

"No way! Oh my god! That's cool. Wait how does Tohma feel about this? Is he jealous?"

"I think that he felt threatened at the beginning, but he's pretty much accepted it now."

The girl nodded knowingly. Tohma Seguchi had never been the type to share things. It didn't matter if it was information, personal possession, and especially not lovers. Tora had been surprised beyond all belief that the man had allowed Eiri to share his girl with him, but then, wasn't Tohma also in a relationship with the boy? Many a time the trio had endeavored in vain to make sense of their relationships with one another to no avail. They finally accepted that what drew these three together was beyond the understanding of humans and agreed that their relationship was a three-way. Amazingly, it was simpler than trying to divide their time between one another, though to any "normal" person what they were doing was a "sin" and "immoral."

Tora was not the only one reminiscing. Eiri also was contemplating how their relationship had actually worked. Then again, he didn't know how they had done it before then. Before it was Tora and Tohma, which Eiri didn't know about, and Tora and Eiri, which Tohma didn't know about, and Tohma and Eiri, which Tora didn't know about. Then it was just a bunch of lies when they were each just cheating each other. So, on that night that they had first sat down and discussed their problems, they made a pact that they could be involved with each other, all three of them. This led to many nights of passion in which everyone was satisfied. Eiri was glad that no one had ever known about that.

They were expressing their thoughts through their eyes just as they had done in the past. Eiri noticed something for the first time since he had entered the diner. There was a reporter sitting in the table across from them. Tora averted her eyes to the place where Eiri was looking before they were flooded with anger. "I'll meet you at the East Entrance of Samurai Park," Eiri mouthed. Tora nodded her head before bidding him goodbye and exiting the diner. Eiri scrutinized her as she entered her metallic light blue 05 Mustang. Once she had left his sight range, he finished the chapter that he was on, which took about five minutes, and left as well, paying both his and his companion's checks._ Thanks, Tora. I know I'm rich, but you could have at least paid your bill._

She was waiting for him. Not that he cared because he was already sweating about the reporter. He was amazed to find that she was not impatient, knowing how much shit the media could cause for him and his love life if he had been spotted with a girl. The pair greeted each other before walking down a shaded path. They found a bench to sit on not far from the main path but far enough that no one was going to pester them. Tora was the first to break the silence.

"Do you ever think about it? Our three-way relationship?"

"Sometimes. After having only my second successful relationship, I wonder how we managed to do it and be happy with it no less."

"I wonder that all the time. I have only one possible way: we loved each other. I'm going to sound mushy-gushy here for a moment, but you write about that stuff so I'm not worried. We were rebels and didn't believe that there was only one person that could be right for them, and since we had been having secret relationships with one another, we said 'what the hell, let's try it together.' It worked, amazingly."

"We had some wild nights. You remember that time when you came over and found Tohma and I making out? That was the time that you were wearing all leather and a thong."

"I don't think I ever heard the two of you scream that loud. What about the time when Tohma walked in on you and me in bathtub? Or when you walked in on Tohma and me in the kitchen for the first time? Why is there a theme with us walking in on each other? Did we ever just look at each other and go at it?"

"Not that I remember. It was always someone barging in on the others' fun. We didn't even live in the same damn house. How the hell did we get interrupted all those times?"

"Cause none of us knew what a doorbell was."

"Tohma still doesn't."

"Yeah , I know. He got into my hotel room one time while I was taking a shower."

"So, you and Tohma continued your relationship after I left, huh? I didn't think that you were the type to allow him to morally bend."

"We stopped after he got married. Although I don't think that stopped him. He's your brother-in-law right? How does it feel having your ex married to your sister? Never mind, I'll drop it. Shit, I have to get going. But first, can I ask you a question? Do you ever miss it?" she asked.

He fell silent and just stared at her. She saw in his eyes something that she had not seen before: confusion. She knew not of the source whether it be the question or the answer. He abruptly stated, "I have to get home to my lover. He'll be waiting."

He rose without another word and started to walk away. He suddenly halted, scribbling something down on a small tablet that he had pulled out of his pocket. He spun around, throwing the sheet of paper towards the girl. She unfolded it in confusion, attempting to decipher the scribble note.

"That's my address and phone number in case you need anything or just want to talk. I'm sure I'll see you around," he added before leaving.

The girl's sad expression had been replaced by a small smile. She stared after him long after his car had driven by. Somewhere in her, a small glimmer of hope arose. Perhaps they could resurrect what they once had, but that glimmer was murdered by the realization that it would never happen. Tohma was married, and Eiri was happy with his lover. They could never be together again. Tears began to spill down Tora's face. She loved them enough to let them go do what they wanted to do, but now she felt sorrow. She had not cried since her joy had first been taken away when Eiri had left. She had been prepared when Tohma had gotten married, for she had known long in advance. Knowing now that this would be the way their lives turned out, she would have never made that decision. It was too late though. She was doomed to the road of friendship, but it was better than the road of invisibility.

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Tornado: What did you think? It'll get better and more to the summary in the next chapter, but for now R&R. 


	2. Intoxicated Adultry and Resurrection

Tornado: Hiya peeps! I hope you liked chapter 1, I think it's a different way to look at Eiri's past. On with the fic.

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**Intoxicated Adultry and Resurrection**

His blood had reached its boiling point. After nearly two years of living with Suichi Shindou, he had yet to succeed in convincing him that he needed private time to write. Though this was their first true fight, it seemed as though they had argued over this subject many times before.

"Where did you go yesterday! I was worried sick about you, and now this morning I find out that you were with some woman!!! What is going on, Eiri!!" the pink-haired boy screamed for across the room.

Eiri Yuki had had just about enough of his mindless ranting. Sure, yesterday he had gotten out of the house and escaped to a local Starbucks to finish his novel because he was a week past deadline, and there he had met his ex lover from New York. They had chatted about the past, and all Eiri had done was give her his phone number and address in case she needed an ear for listening to her problems. Of course, he had already told his lover this, making sure he had danced around the true nature of their relationship, just as he had done when describing his relationship with Tohma. That was the past, and it wouldn't hurt Suichi if he didn't know that.

"Suichi, I told you this once already! I went to Starbucks to finish my novel, and there I met an old friend, who I had known when I was in New York. We talked, and I gave her my phone number so she could call me. That's it!" Eiri yelled, attempting to cover the ultimate frustration that was washing over him.

"Can I trust you? Lately you've been running off at odd hours of the night to go for 'walks', but you don't come back until the next morning? How do I know that you aren't off fucking some bimbo?" the younger man screamed.

"You don't!! But I would've thought by now that you could trust me, but I guess I was wrong. You know what, forget it! I'm leaving, and I won't be back until tomorrow!! So don't wait up," Eiri answered as he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

He extracted the keys to his Mercedes from his pocket as he climbed into the car. The engine purred, and he whipped out of the driveway not noticing the sad face of his young pop star lover watching. He didn't know where he'd go, nor did he care at the moment. All he wanted to do was get away from the feeling of betrayal that was creeping into his chest. The same feeling that had drove him to the unforgivable act of murder only eight years prior.

He was vaguely aware of the tears that were streaming down his young, pale face. He thought that Suichi loved him. He had proclaimed it enough that Eiri had begun to believe the squirt. Now, he was second guessing that same feeling the boy had claimed since the first day the two had met. _Maybe he did just want sex or money, but why waste two years of your life just to get those things. It's not like we're married so he can't claim have of my possessions. Is this payback for all the shit I put him through in the beginning? Why wait this long? Did he really want to hurt me that badly? Or was it something else that I missed somewhere along the way?_ _One thing is for certain though; I've never felt like this before. This is a new kind of pain that betrayal can't even measure to. Perhaps it is failure. But why should I care? It's not like I love him anyway. Do I?_

He parked the car along the street directly under a streetlight. It was not that he was afraid of the dark or the numerous creatures that lurked in it, but on this night, he was not welcoming a fight. There was only one other car in sight: a light blue Mustang that appeared to have a very loving owner. Eiri thought nothing of the car other than it was a beautiful machine. He stared down one of the park's infinite paths, allowing his eyes to adjust to the shadow blanket that covered it. Such meaning lie within the shadows on this fateful night. He had always solved his emotional problems when there was darkness and the feeling of solitude. _Perhaps, this is where I am supposed to have my great epiphany._

He ventured down the winding dim path, enjoying all the macabre beauty surrounding him. Despite the fact that he was a romance writer, he never really cared to read that type of book. Writing was his job. Despite all that he had been taught, he never found writing to be that escape from reality. He found that it was a way to deal with the chaos around him. His reading was his escape. He never cared to read the repetition of the "reality" books that were littering the bookstore. He preferred to read something novel, which was an entirely new approach to taking life lessons and incorporating them into totally out of the ordinary books. He admired those writers who were bold enough to go out on a limb and write something that could cause them great fame for their "ingenious" ideas or be ridiculed and classified as psychotic.

The more he thought about his relationship with Suichi, the more he wished that he had brought one of his myriad of books in his library, but he had been blinded by anger and hurt, so that thought had not been of great importance. His head was thundering. _This is the one time I wish that I could talk to Tohma. He may be a shark now, but he is the only person that knows me well enough to be of any help. No offense to me or anything, but I'm shitty company._

"That's alright, Eiri," he told himself out loud. "No one needs the displeasure of your company."

"Eiri, is that you?" a feminine voice asked somewhere, remaining masked in the darkness.

"Whose there?" I asked the night air, hoping that I wasn't going any crazier than I already was.

"Eiri, it's me. It's Tora."

A tall girl stepped out of the shadows. She had a pale face and black hair that was highlighted and tipped in bright blue, which matched the color of her eyes. He had wished for someone who knew him well enough to talk. Someone in the high regions of heaven had heard his plea to himself and decided that he had earned the right to have a little mercy shed upon him. An angry swarm of rage swept his senses. This was that same girl that he had met yesterday and caused him and Suichi to have a fight. He was about to launch a brutal banter, but something stopped him. Logic overcame the emotional outburst and managed to quiet it. The girl stared at him in pure concern. He gave her a reassuring nod, signifying that whatever hate he had felt at that moment had passed.

"What are you doing here this late at night? Shouldn't you be home with your lover?" she asked him.

"Well, Suichi and I sort of got in a fight. A big one."

"You want to talk about it?"

"If you don't mind listening to the rants of a psychopath."

"I'm not going to be the one talking, you are."

He smiled slightly at the small attempt at enlightening the moment with comic relief. He shook his head at the way she had used one of the key elements in writing and applied it to reality. Tora Lireal was one of the only writers that Eiri could stand to be around for more than five minutes. She was one of those bold writers that he had been thinking about just moments before. She was a world-renowned sci-fi/ fantasy writer as his research had provided, and her novels were printed in over a dozen different languages on three different continents.

"Well, lately my… condition has gotten worse, so I take walks at night to help clear my mind and regain control. Suichi has been suspicious, but he never mentioned any discomfort to me. Well, yesterday when you and I met up, he didn't know that I was working on my book, not like's its any of his business anyway, but when he saw that you and I had been together from the TV(remember the reporter? Yeah she squealed), he went off half cocked that I was cheating on him with you. He just jumped to conclusions without letting me explain. Usually it's me that doesn't give him a chance to give his input. It's weird to have the tables turned."

"You think that this is karma coming back to bite you in the ass?"

"Right now, I don't know what to think. I've been so wary of people since… you know, and just when I finally think I've found someone that is worthy of my trust, he doesn't trust me."

"Can I ask you something without you getting upset? Why do you care if he trusts you? You never cared if anyone trusted you or liked you or anything like that. So why start now? Or does this guy mean that much to you?"

He stopped. His eyes averted to the ground, which suddenly seemed very appealing. He could feel the heat of concern that the lady's eyes were emitting. He would have had no problem admitting fondness hat he held for Suichi had he and the girl not had the history that they did. He had once told Tohma that the sixteen-year-old-Eiri still existed, but he never showed it. At that point in time, this had been true. Only Tohma could make old habits resurface, but he never could make old feelings reawaken. This girl did. She knew that he had loved Yuki, but what she and Tohma hadn't known was that Eiri loved them more than he had loved Yuki. Yuki tore him apart because he had murdered him. He had simply left the duo. For six years, he had convinced himself that he was happy with his life. It had taken Suichi to truly make it so.

"I love Suichi. More than I loved Yuki. I'm happy now," he whispered.

"That may be, but your relationship is far from perfect. You have communication problems in general, and unless Suichi can read your eyes the way that Tohma and I can, he never knows what your thinking. If I'm right, which I think I am, he's always stabbing in the dark, trying to figure out how you feel and molding his actions to keep you happy. This doesn't only take a toll on him; it has a big impact on you. Why? Because you are easily angered by anything that doesn't pertain to your mood. Now can you honestly tell me that there are no flaws in your relationship?"

"Since when did you become a relationships expert? When did you get a psychological degree?"

"I don't need one to know the way your mind works or the way you react to certain situations. Why are you getting all defensive with me? Eiri, all I'm doing is trying to help you or don't you want my help?"

"I'm sorry. I just am not myself. The fight, the novel, and my other personality, they're all factors in why I am so uptight. Hey, I need a huge favor. Can I crash at your place for the night? The only other place I have to go is Tohma's, and that is the last place that I want to stay. God only knows what advice Mika would give me."

"Only under one condition: you buy us some booze."

He smirked, nodding his head in agreement. He knew that he could drink like a fish, and there was not a trace of doubt in his mind that Tora was lacking in that skill either. Tora vanished into the shadows, returning with the leather case that contained her laptop. She explained that she had come out here for inspiration, and Eiri expressed his empathy. They meandered back to their cars, and Tora led the way to the liquor store and finally to her apartment.

Eiri admired the residence as he entered the room. There was a large, black leather couch situated in front of a plasma TV, and the kitchen contain black granite floors and countertops, which were supported by mahogany cabinets. A darkened glass table sat in the center of the room with four wrought iron chairs situated around it. He commented to his companion that her job not only put food on the table but also allowed her to enjoy the small amenities that most were denied. She grinned demonically, setting up a bar-like structure with the alcohols stretched along the vast counters. She got both herself and Eiri a glass, and they began their drinking expedition.

"So you know about my love life, tell me a little about yours? Is there anyone special out there that you have it in deep for?" Eiri asked, taking a sip of whiskey.

"Lately, I've been striking out with the men. They get in my pants for one night, and then the next day, there's not a trace. I haven't had a stable relationship in three years. The closest I've come was one with a lawyer that lasted about a month. I scared him off when I stayed up for four days straight without leaving my office for nothing other than food and bathroom. I had brainstorm and wasn't about to let it get away," she stated sadly, sipping her drink.

"The last steady relationship that I had was about three years ago with the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company. He was a year senior to me, but that didn't stop us from connecting. We started living together about a month after we first met. It was good for a long time. Except, he, like you and Tohma, never really expressed what he was truly feeling. I tried to read his expressions through his eyes, but being a CEO, he had long since mastered the tricks of concealment. After a while, it got to me, and I began to spy on him. What I uncovered was a secret relationship between him and his work. He was a workaholic. Engaged to his job. We had a fight one night, much like the one that you and Mr. Shindou just had, and it went just like this. I crawled to a friend's house, got drunk, and ended up sleeping with him. He found me the next morning in bed with my friend naked and ended it on the spot.

"Is it my fate to be alone? Am I not good enough for a husband or someone that cares about me? Am I that horrible to bear? Or is this punishment for what I have done in the past? Perhaps it is simply that I am not pretty enough or good enough in bed or worth anybody wasting time on. Damn it, Eiri! I'm not perfect, but don't I deserved to be loved the way that you and Tohma are loved?" she cried, slightly slurring her words fromt eh alcohol she was consuming.

"You are loved," Eiri whispered, taking the girl in his arms. "Tohma and I both love you."

"As friends," she choked out. "But not romantically. You love Suichi as you claimed earlier, and Tohma...well he loves his wife, Mika."

"I can guarantee you that Tohma will trade you for Mika in an instant. Their marriage was out of convenience. They don't give a damn about each other outside of friendship. As for me, well… Eiri Yuki doesn't love you; he loves Suichi, but Eiri Uesugi does."

She stared into his golden eyes, fighting the desperate urges she felt to kiss him. His face was pulled towards hers by invisible magnetic forces until their lips smashed together. Passion beyond the realms of human understanding had been resurrected, clawing its way from the graveyard. Eiri's hands began to explore her body, marveling at the change that had occurred since he had last touched her. Their tongues danced as Tora's hands began to wander across the unfamiliar territory of his ripped body. Neither felt guilty about the act they were preparing to commit, but then again, one never is when enamored with old emotions and intoxicated. And so what transpired in that next hour was a deed that could not been undone or shamed, at least not in their minds.

Eiri awoke with his body pressed against another unidentified one. His head was throbbing from the toxins that he had consumed earlier, and his need for nicotine was stimulated to the unbearable point. Though he did not remember at the moment, he knew that this need was caused by only one thing: sex, but hadn't he and Suichi just gotten into a fight? Why would he be in bed with him? Then he remembered the walk in the park and his meeting with Tora. He began to shake his head, ashamed by his actions. He was confused. Never had he felt those feelings before, but yet they were clear in his mind as he recalled the forgotten night.

He slid from the bed, sure not make a sound to wake the slumbered, and went to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face as he looked into the mirror. For the first time in nearly seven years, he was not wondering who he was. He didn't feel like he was a façade anymore. He felt complete like he did in New York with the girl and Tohma. This revelation frightened him, yet he knew that she was the source of the change. Something accepted that fact and instructed him to return to her bed, which he complied to its wishes. There he slept peacefully, but instantly began missing his magenta haired lover. _There will be much to discuss at breakfast tomorrow,_ he thought drifting into sleep.

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Tornado: yay! Another chapter done. R&R. 


	3. Two Major Blunders

Tornado: Hey people! I want to thank Ayakachan, cosmala, and eiri-san for reviewing. And I now present the fic.

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**Two Major Blunders**

Tora walked into the kitchen groggily, wondering just as Eiri had earlier. He was sitting at the darkened glass table, sipping the bitter coffee that the girl had stored in the cabinets. The alcohol was still displayed on the bar, serving as a reminder of the previous night. Eiri poured her a cup of coffee, and after she gave her consent, he poured Bailey's Irish Cream in as creamer. The girl sat opposite him gently sipping at the liquid.

"So, last night," Eiri started. "What happened?"

"We got drunk and old feelings resurfaced. We had a good night, and now we're waking up the next morning as friends."

"I guess so. Can I tell you something without you getting all bite-my-head-off? Last night I felt complete for the first time since I left New York. I don't know what that means, but I think we need to talk about it."

"What is there to talk about? Trust me, you don't want to leave Suichi, especially not for me. I'll be disappointing. You ever notice that authors don't marry authors? Why because they can't stand to be home with one another while they're working on their masterpieces. They're always competing with one another. You and Suichi are both artists, so you can appreciate each other's work, but you aren't in the same profession. We are."

"I know. Maybe that's why we got along in early life. I hated it, and you didn't. Maybe you're right. I don't know. I was just saying what I felt last night. Look, I better get going. I should probably make up to Suichi."

"I have to go pay Tohma a visit. He said he wanted to see me after I got back. I'll walk you to your car."

The pair stumbled out the door to be bombarded with the flashes and shouts of reporters. Their eyes went wide as saucers when they saw the cameras. Tora turned to dash back in the door, but she had closed it on the way out. Eiri was shaking his head disbelievingly. He punched the side of the building. The pair took deep breaths.

"What the hell is going on here?" the girl asked strongly.

"Is it true that the two of you are in a relationship together?" one reporter called.

"No, we're friends. He just crashed at my place last night, and we did some drinking and bitching about men," Tora answered confidently. "That's all."

"Yes, but the two of you were seen together yesterday. Any comments?" another said.

"We met yesterday out of pure chance. We both had gone to Starbucks to work on our newest novels. We hadn't seen each other in nearly seven years, so we chatted for a while and then split. Shindou and I had a fight, and I looked her up, gave her a call, and crashed at her place. It's not illegal, you know, or against any morals that are viewed by the citizens," Eiri added. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get home so I can work."

He pushed his way through the crowd. Tora opened the door to the apartment building, disappearing inside. Eiri drove his Mercedes around the corner, leaving the mass to disperse. He continued his path, passing the liquor store and the park that he and Tora had visited before. There were no reporters at Eiri's house, but Suichi was standing outside with the angriest expression Eiri had ever seen on his face. The man knew that he was in deep shit.

"What the hell were you doing at that girl's place? That was the same girl you were with yesterday! That was a load of crock shit that you fed those reporters. I could see in your eyes that you were lying. I know that your night wasn't as innocent as you made it out to be."

"I told you what happened, now lay off it."

"No you didn't; you just say that you did. I want answers, and I want them now!"

"You're going through PMS. Now, please, I need coffee, cigarettes, and to work in peace. You need to go to work, so why don't we join in that common cause and travel our paths."

"I took the day off. Seguchi-can insisted. FYI, Mizuki said that she needs that novel today."

He growled, storming into the house. His lover closely followed him. Suichi was still glaring daggers at his head while he typed. The magenta-haired boy remained in that position for what seemed like an eternity. He wanted to trust the fair "maiden," whose affection he had endured so much to achieve, but during the bombardment of the reporters, he had seen a look in his eyes that could not be mistaken for anything or than superior knowledge; the kind that can only be analyzed to be a lie or a secret. There was also something in his companions sapphires that made him suspect that his lover was lying to him. _Fear, perhaps. Fear of what? Discovery? Betrayal?_ The mystery woman was a tale to be told later that evening, but for now, all Suichi could do was wait.

Across town, Tora peeped put from behind the curtains of her apartment. The reporters had long since dispersed and journeyed back to the station to report their findings. Thankfully, there had only been one live link, which was one of the music channels as Tora had discovered while watching the re-run. _God, I look horrible. No wonder they thought I had bedded Eiri. I look like I just woke up from hibernation._ There was truth to that statement she realized. She had only been awake about fifteen minutes before being greeted with the camera.

Having satisfied her curiosity, she opened the door and darted to her baby, which she had placed at rest on the opposite side of the street. She greeted it with as quick pat before reclaiming her place as its captain. She knew that Tohma would be anxious to see her due to the recent spectacles made of Tora and Eiri, but she was hoping that he would delay business until the conclusion of their reunion. She started the engine and began her journey to NG Productions headquarters.

It was quarter 'til nine when she parked her car in the visitors' parking lot in front of the recording studio and office building. Taking a slow, deep breath, she exited the car and purposefully strode to the entrance of the building. The lobby was classy, just as you would expect from a place of business. The marble floors stretched to a set of elevators in the far corner. There was a long counter-top with several secretaries stationed right of the entrance. Tora walked up to a ditzy-looking brunette, who was animatedly talking to another young girl beside her.

"Excuse me," Tora said, catching the girls' attentions. "Hi, I'm here to see Tohma Seguchi. Could you please tell him that I'm here."

"Do you have an appointment?" the girl asked, chewing the pink gum in her mouth.

"I don't need one. He wants to see me. Now, please call him and tell him that Tora Lireal is here to see him."

"Mr. Seguchi is in a meeting and will remain in that meeting until one o'clock. You'll have to come back then because he specifically said that he was not to be disturbed."

Tora was glaring at the receptionist when her phone rang. The girl picked it up and began conversing with someone, whom Tora assumed she knew. There was talk of personal matter, which was when Tora exasperatedly walked away. She heard another phone ring, and an older voice answer. She heard the few words that the elder exchanged: "Yes, sir. I will, sir." She was just about to walk out the door when the elder voice called, "Excuse me, Ms. Lireal? Mr. Seguchi will see you. Take the elevator to the fortieth floor, walk left, the first door. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

The girl murmured her forbearances before following the woman's directions. It took a total of ten minutes to arrive at her destination. She was staring at the cherry door, debating her approach to the situation. Discovering that there was no better way, she opened the door, entering the office. There was a light blonde man with shocking blue-green eyes smirking at her. He was wearing a bizarre black coat with a red feather boa draped around the neck. His button-up shirt was also red, and a black bowler's hat was crowning his head. She smiled at the welcoming sight before her.

"Hello, Tora-san. It has been a long time," the man stated, rising from his leather office chair behind his cherry-wood desk.

"Tohma," she answered almost breathlessly.

The two embraced in a brother-sister way. Had anyone been present in the room, it would have been obvious that the two still had a deeply rooted connection that was being exhumed. Tohma gently touched her face upon their partition. A content smile flittered across her face. Tohma sighed in frustration.

"I only wish that we were still sixteen. It has been nearly four years since I saw you, but you still look as good as you did the day we met. Actually, even more so now," he commented, examining her body.

"Tohma, you're married," she warned. "I can't allow you to morally bend."

"But you did. With Eiri-san."

"As I told the reporters, it was completely innocent. We got drunk; we passed out; we woke up. End of story."

"There's that gap between drunk and passed out that is the key, right? Tora, why deny it? You and Eiri were obviously on that sex high that you always get the morning after. I've seen the two of you plenty of times on that high. I know what it looks like. So how was it? Was is as good as earlier in life?"

"Yeah, but you should know that we're not taking it anywhere. It was just a once and done thing."

"Yes, until the next time that he and Shindou fight. Please, Tora, don't give me that look. You're addictive. He'll want more some time. I didn't say that it was going to be tomorrow or even this week, but sometime he will."

"Whatever. I was hoping that this could have waited, but now that it's done and over with, what's going on?"

"You and I are going out somewhere. I told everyone that I have a meeting and won't be back until one, so you and I have a good four hours with each other."

"You were planning on me coming here today. How cocky are you?"

"Once I saw you on TV, I knew you would be here. Please, let's go out and have a good time just like old times," I said offering his hand.

She stared at him before reluctantly accepting it. Tohma snaked her arm through his own. The girl shot him a glare, but he pretended not to notice. They made the small walk to the elevator and the long ride to lobby still arm-in-arm. Tora tried to break away as they reached the ground, but Tohma would not allow it. She sighed, submitting to his wishes. Tohma agreed to take Tora's car only if he drove. She glared heatedly stubbornly adhering to refusal. Tohma brought his face within centimeters of hers. He reached his hand into the pocket of her short leather jacket, extracting her keys.

"Old habits die hard," he said smirking as he took command of the car.

Tora retired to the passenger seat dismissively. "Where do you get off on embarrassing me in my own car?"

"I like the look on your face when you submit. It makes me hard."

"You are some kind of freaky. Does your wife know that you're a pervert?"

"I'm sure she has guessed, but I've never formally told her. You think I should? Maybe I could throw in the whole three-way relationship with you and her brother."

"Point taken, but you have to admit. It was fun while it lasted."

"Yeah, well, our, just yours and mine, relationship was good until your morals kicked in, and I couldn't see you anymore. You pick the weirdest times to get morally correct. What was the harm in a little side show fun?"

"Side show fun? Jesus, way to make me feel good about myself."

"Hey, you were the one that let me go."

"Yeah well I didn't think that you were going to sleep around with women anyway. Silly me, I thought you gave a damn about your wife."

"Let me explain something to you. Mika and I are not made for each other. We married because our parents were pressuring us to do so. I am allowed to pursue fulfillment elsewhere if I so choose, and she is as well. There's nothing groundbreaking about it. You and I are allowed to fuck, especially because she's out of town."

"Sorry, but I couldn't do that. The fact that you're married is a big turnoff. Where are we going anyway?"

"I don't know. Around town. Maybe the mall. We'll catch some lunch later."

"Right, why are we doing this again?"

"Because I'm hoping to get you into the hotel room that I rented."

"Please tell me that you're joking. You aren't that cocky, are you?"

"No, but the expression on your face was priceless."

Tora shook her head and settled in for the next few hours.

Eiri had finally finished his novel. Mizuki had come by an hour earlier to pick it up and was waiting impatiently while it printed. He was attempting to ignore the glances that both his publisher and his lover were shooting him. However, it was rather difficult when the two had joined forces.

"So, Mr. Eiri, who was the girl that you were with this morning?" Mizuki inquired.

"None of your business."

"Well, I'm your publicist, so it is my business."

"No, you're my editor. The only part of my life that concerns you is my writing."

"Well, I was just thinking that this book may sell more because you have now crossed back over to females. This gives some hope to your audience, don't you think?"

"Mizuki, nothing happened. I simply got drunk with her and slept at her place. Nothing happened," he replied firmly, handing her the document, which had just finished printing.

"The media is convinced otherwise. You have to watch out with your relationship with the girl. They control the world. Good day, Mr. Eiri," she said before walking out the door.

Eiri grumbled as he leaned back in his chair. People were just too damn nosy. It wasn't relevance to anyone besides himself and Tora. Though Eiri knew that if Tora had gone to see Tohma, he would certainly be able to guess what had occurred, but he could go play a nice quiet game of hide-and-go-fuck-himself for all Eiri cared. Tohma was not the sweet, innocent angel that he made himself out to be. He was cold and vicious when provoked.

Suichi was still glaring at him. He needed answers, and he needed them now. He was toying with the idea of calling Tohma, but he knew that the man would deny everything if he thought that it was anything but what Eiri wanted. He also thought about calling Tatsuha, but that was as pointless as calling Tohma because he had told Suichi before that Eiri's past was a mystery to him. Mika was the only person that could even be remotely useful, but she was out of town. Besides, under the given circumstances, he highly doubted whether she would offer her condolences and disclose the information she had about the girl.

"Eiri, tell me who that girl was. I want to know her name."

"Her name is Tora Lireal. She's a sci-fi/ fantasy author, and she's also and old friend of mine. I met her in New York."

"Where? How did you guys get to be friends?"

"Well, she knew Yuki somehow or another. I can't quite remember, but we had a lot in common. She pissed off her parents, so they sent her to America, hoping it would fix her. She is a Japanese/ American. You can tell too. Her skin and eyes are American, but her hair's Japanese. She was ridiculed in Japan because she didn't look like everyone else. Sound familiar? Well, she was living with her guardian in New York, who was a drug dealer, so she was never home. Tora learned how to fend for herself, and we got into the thug-thing together as a way to deal with our pain. We were just good friends."

"Why do I feel like there's a part of the story that you're not telling me?"

"Because there isn't. When are you going to start trusting me?"

"When you trust me."

"Well then, why aren't you trusting me right now?"

Suichi smiled, kissing his lover's lips. He began to slide his hands under the man's shirt, feeling the tightened muscles the older man bore. They were quickly losing themselves in each other until Eiri made the blunder that was greater than the one he had made that morning.

"Tora," he moaned.

Suichi stopped all together and stared at him with wide eyes. Tears began to spill across his face as he got off of the computer chair and ran into the bedroom. Eiri gazed at his trail dumbfounded. His mind began working backwards, searching for the source of his error. The word "Tora" played through his mind. He cursed himself loudly, rising to replicate his lover's steps. He tried the knob, finding it unwilling to render movement. He knocked on the door.

"Suichi? I'm sorry. I was just…" he trailed not knowing what to say.

The door opened, and a sad and angry Suichi peered out. "Yeah you were just reliving the past!" he shouted. "I knew you weren't telling the truth! You fucked her! Tell me was she as good as me? Or maybe she was a lot better? Which is it, asshole?"

"She was better," he replied without thinking, immediately kicking himself in the ass for blurting that out.

"Get the fuck out of my house!"

"This my house, you idiot. I bought it, and it's in my name!"

"I don't care, just get the hell out!" he screamed, slamming the door and locking it again.

Eiri pounded on the door, expressing his anger at himself. _I am an absolute moron!_, he thought. Dismissively, he sighed as he ventured back downstairs to pack up some things. Packing his laptop in its case, he wondered where he was going to go. Tohma's was the only place that he could think of. He could go back to Tora's, but the risk of being discovered was simply too great.

He walked out to his red Mercedes, placing an overnight bag, which he always kept packed just in case, in the trunk. He started the car and backed out of the driveway. He placed a call to Tohma's office, leaving him a message to return the phone call. He traveled subconsciously, not knowing where he was going. When the car came to a stop, he was in front of the ever-faithful park. He got out and ventured down a random path, hoping to clear his mind.

By the time one o'clock had rolled around, Tora and Tohma had been mall and ate out at a fancy Italian restaurant. There were several shopping bags filling the back seat of the Mustang. Tohma invited his partner up to his office once more to say goodbye in private. She reluctantly agreed, knowing that there was no possible way that the man would take "no" for an answer. The voyage seemed to pass much faster due to the fact that they were laughing up a storm. Tohma unlocked his office, letting the girl and him in. She plopped on the couch while he checked his voicemail. There were some that he simply deleted before hearing the entire message, but one made him stop and furrow his brows.

"Hey, Seguchi, it's Eiri. Give me a call on my cell phone when you get this."

"That's odd. He never calls me. I wonder what is wrong. Tora, would you stick around for another minute? He may want to talk to us," Tohma stated, dialing Eiri's cell phone. "Eiri? It's Tohma. What's going on? Really? Why would he do that? Oh, I see. Yes. Yes, she's with me now. Of course. Mika is out of town, so you don't have to worry about her. I'll be there in a few minutes to drop off a key. See you then. I'll bring her with me."

He hung up the phone, staring at Tora. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Shindou kicked Eiri out because he moaned your name while they were making out. Nice, huh? So he's going to be staying at my place for a while. Get your car. We're going to go see him."

Tora felt her stomach drop to the floor. She felt like she was responsible for all of this. _I do all that preaching to Tohma about being faithful, and I can't even stop Eiri when he's making out with me, so we get out of control. Jesus, I fucked this one up!_ She and Tohma left the office and began their journey to face the music.

* * *

Tornado: So, Suichi knows what happened, but how will he and Eiri survive? The chapter is coming soon. R&R. 


	4. Confrontations

Tornado: Hiya, people. Thanks to those that reviewed, and now on with the fic.

* * *

Tora rode in silence, contemplating her actions. The news of Eiri's latest error had shocked the girl. Tohma had explained the manner that Shuichi had discovered the late night relationship that was sworn as friendship once the dawn had arisen. Of course, Tora knew that Shuichi had not allowed Eiri to explain and that Eiri was too preoccupied with his anger to mention that fact. 

She could feel Tohma's blue-green eyes staring at her. She was resisting the urge to say "keep your eyes on the road," but refrained, avoiding conversation. Several times Tohma tried to word the thoughts but didn't succeed. She began to become irritated with the constant stuttering.

"What is it that you want to say?"

"Why did you do that? Sleep with him, I mean. You realize that you're going to get hurt."

"I know what I'm doing. It was a one-night thing that occurred out of drunkenness. Nothing more."

"Well, sorry for being worried about you. The last time you and Eiri had a relationship, you almost attempted suicide. You were depressed for nearly a year. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to have to visit a hospital or a funeral to see you."

"Whatever."

"Don't you 'whatever' me. I have good reason to suspect that you would end up in those places."

"Why the hell do you care? You're not my mother! Nor are you my husband/boyfriend/lover."

"No, but I am you're friend. Please, Tora. Just talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about unless you want the details."

"That would be nice."

"Pervert."

"You asked for the same thing several times in NY."

"I was sixteen, but that's not the real problem. What are we going to do about Eiri?"

"The only thing that we can: be there as friends. He won't talk to me, but he will to you. I know because he needs someone to talk to, and he just fired his shrink. He refuses to talk to me. I'm going to try to break him, but that's like trying to crack a safe without any equipment."

"Well you'll have a few days to perfect your strategy. If he doesn't like you, why did he call you when he needed a place to stay?"

"Who else would he call? You? The press would be all over it. Me, he'll tolerate me as long as he needs. His only other option would be to go home, and you and I both know that he would rather be tortured than go back there. In fact, that place is torture."

"Yeah, I guess. This is your place?" she asked as they pulled up to a luxurious, large brick house.

Eiri was already in the driveway. He watched as they pulled in, glaring slightly at the driver. Tora made a mental note of the tension between the two. Tohma had said that Eiri was not his biggest fan, but this was worse than she had expected. The two used to be lovers for crying out loud. Civil accosting was traded between the two, and a slight nod was sent in Tora's direction. She returned the gesture. Tohma beckoned the midnight lovers to his estate, unlocking the door for them to enter the house.

Marble floors were common throughout the house, stretching from the foyer to the kitchen and extending into the living room. Eiri threw his bag on the floor next to the door and headed straight for the kitchen. Tora tailed him with interest. He had his head buried in the fridge by the time she arrived in the kitchen, and absently tossed her a beer that he had found. She smirked, cracking the tin seal and taking a long drag. Eiri had lit a cigarette and unearthed an ashtray that was obviously for Mika, seeing that Tohma wouldn't light anything on fire besides sticks in a fireplace.

"Did Tohma tell you how Shuichi found out? Pretty wild, eh? Never thought those words would be coming out of my mouth. The more I think about it, the stupider it becomes. I never promised Shuichi that he would be the only lover in my life, but I guess it was assumed when I announced that I was gay. Life's too damn complicated," he scoffed, puffing on his cigarette.

"It always has been, and if you keep smoking the way you do, you'll have ten different kinds of cancer by the time your fifty. You're already at elevated risk for testicular cancer," Tora replied, jokingly.

"Ha ha, smart-ass. You're a riot. I hate this. Why can't I be at home working on my next novel?"

"Do you have any idea what you're going to write it about?"

"Not a damn clue. I was thinking about having a different sort of theme. Maybe a little less like reality. I don't know."

"That seems to be a theme with you: 'I don't know,'" she teased.

"It's always been a theme," Tohma called from the doorway.

"Shut up! At least I don't dress like a fag," Eiri replied.

"At least I'm not an open fag."

"You're both bi whether you like it or not, so shut the fuck up and drink your beer," Tora snapped.

Tohma gave her a military salute before stealing a beer and taking a seat at the bar beside Tora. He gently placed his hand on her leg, earning a slap on the face from the girl. He made a sound of pseudo-protest, smirking mischievously. Eiri shot him a warning stare. The older man gave him a gesture of innocence while Tora observed the ritual with amusement.

"Tohma, you're married. To my sister no less. I have to object to your open flirtation."

"You had a good night with her, so why can't I? You have more obligations than I do to your lover. Hell, Mika has some guy that she's fucking."

"I don't care. She's my sister. Don't screw around."

"Yeah well, I have money invested in Shuichi, and because of you he's going to be throwing a hissy-fit and won't want to record, which he really needs to do."

"You're the one that gave him the day off and that's why he found out about last night. Had Shuichi just gone to work like every other day, I would have been able to lose myself in my writing and forget all about last night."

"So Tora isn't good enough, eh? Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside."

"Don't try to make me the bad guy. I'm only the one that opened his big mouth and said something that he wasn't supposed to. All for some old fling."

"Excuse me, but I take offense to that!" Tora shrieked. "I feel so loved!"

"Way to go, Eiri! You insulted the best piece of ass that we've got."

"Oh, yeah, Tohma. That makes me feel better!"

"Anyway, Tohma, at least I'm not referring to her as an object."

"You're doing all but."

"Okay! No nuts here. What the hell are you going to about Shuichi?" Tora inquired.

"Do I have to do anything? I mean it was his decision to freak out and throw me out. Why should I do anything?"

"The only way that is justified is if you said nothing specific and didn't admit to anything. Judging by the look on your face, I'd say that it is not the case."

"Yeah, I um kinda said that you were better than him or something like that, but you know, he probably forgot about it."

She reached across the island and slapped him. The contact filled the elegant kitchen with a large crack. The pair began exchanging banters in heated, raised voices. It was now Tohma's turn to enjoy the comedy show occurring in his presence. This sacrament was enjoyable and one more traditional between siblings.

It was the first time in ages that Tohma felt at ease in his surroundings. There was an absurd calming about the passionate, chaotic quarrelling while indulging in the satisfying taste of beer. It was times like these in his youth that he would gaze at the duo in awe, wishing that he could take them both. Of course, then it was completely possible. Now, Eiri had Shuichi and wouldn't allow Tohma to coddle himself in a non-marital romance. Not that it mattered because Mika had bluntly told him that she was fucking another guy and was going to see him and gave him an order to have fun. Tora had the same stance as Eiri.

"Well, you know what, Tora, it's not my fault that you're hot and I used to fuck you. Well that last bit is, but it's not my fault that you make me feel like I'm back in NY."

"It doesn't matter. You never told me to stop, so you're guilty!"

"Oh and you just shut off that morally righteous mind of yours and fucked right along. You're just as guilty as me!"

"Settle down, you two. You're giving me a headache. Tora, why don't you go get some sleep? I can tell it's been a long day. Besides, you have that new novel you're working on. Eiri will take me to pick up my car. Call my cell if you need directions. Eiri, shall we?"

The trio rose, making their way to their cars. Tohma did his gentlemanly duty by holding the door for Tora but released it just in time to smack Eiri in the face. The non-victims chuckled, positioning themselves arm-in-arm. Eiri beat the older man to the car door, kissing Tora on the cheek as he did so. Tohma, determined to out-do his former counterpart, promptly frenched the girl, who punched his arm rather hard. Eiri punched him on the opposite arm, emphasizing things that he was not supposed to be doing.

"You really do still like her, don't you?" Eiri asked, watching her drive away.

"What gave you that idea?" Tohma answered heavily. "She thinks I'm just trying to be stupid and funny."

"Should she think otherwise? I mean, you always liked causing her so much frustration that she wanted to rip her hair out. You're not the easiest person to get along with."

"Is that why you can't stand me?" he requested, climbing into the passenger seat of the Mercedes.

"No, I just don't want things like what happened with Tora to happen between us, but there are times when I wish that we were still close. Enough about me. How's your marriage?"

"How do you think? Right now, Mika's in Germany with some hooker she picked up and all but ordered me to screw whatever I wanted. Basically, that's how our whole relationship. What the hell can I do? You won't believe me, but I don't screw around."

"I believe you. I didn't know that Mika did that stuff. Ha, the good, dutiful daughter is a whore."

"Hey, look she may be a player, but she's still my wife. So watch your mouth. Look, I know it sounds bad, but what can you do?"

"I was simply commenting. If Dad knew what she was doing, she'd be the black sheep instead of me. It's rather amusing actually. I feel really bad for you. Why again did you marry her?"

"Stupid me, I thought that she might care about me. Boy was I wrong. Although it was worth it to shut my parents up. They never even talk to me anymore. Probably just as well."

"I never would have guessed that she did that. I mean she always seems so into you whenever you're together. Don't judge a book by its cover."

"Yeah, everything's not hunky-dory. We don't even sleep in the same damn room anymore. She moved her bed to the guest bedroom. I should just divorce her, but that's a mess."

"She'll take you to the cleaner's. I don't blame you for not wanting to divorce her, but I must say the two of you suit each other. You're both sharks."

"Thanks, Eiri," he scoffed heavily, glaring out the window, grateful to know that he was so greatly appreciated.

Eiri shot him a sidelong glance, feeling bad about the subject that he had chosen. He never would have guessed that Tohma would have been hurt by Mika's infidelity. Tohma had expressed his feelings for Eiri many a time, causing Eiri to disregard any ill feelings on his part. Even the way the man acted with his former lover was inconsistent with the way he felt. Eiri had an urge to attempt to cheer his companion but had not a clue how to do it.

"Tohma, I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way about Mika. Do you love her?"

"I guess," he replied shrugging. "I would probably classify it as friendship more than anything else. I know the next question out of your mouth will be why I care. I just feel used and abused. She's only nice to me when she needs something, and other than that she's never home and never calls.

"She's never there when I need her. I knew that this would happen before I married her, but I just hoped that it would be one of those things that turned out to be a twist ending. I was wrong. That's why I held onto Tora until the last damned day.

"The night before I got hitched, she cut the ties. I was crushed. I made her swear that we could still be friends and stay in touch. She agreed that I could call her anytime, if ever, that I needed a listening ear no matter what time of the day it was. In the end, about sixty percent of calls that I make and receive come from her. She and I talk about three times a week. Mika gets all pissy when the phone rings at three in the morning, but I always welcome the sound of her voice."

"So, you and her are pretty close, huh? I could tell the way you two were joking around. Were you with her all morning? I thought so. Taking advantage of your darling wife's absence, eh?"

"Something like that. I hadn't actually seen her in nearly two years, so I just wanted to…"

"Hold her again?" Eiri offered.

Tohma nodded. "You noticed that? Yeah, well, you got to have a night with her, so I can at least have her attached to my arm for a day. She protested, of course."

"That's the thing with Tora; she never admits to what she wants if contradicts any morals. She wanted me last night. I saw it in her eyes, but she didn't want to admit it because she knew that it was going to lead to something that was not supposed to happen. She all but confessed that she still loved us and wanted to be with us again, but she keeps torturing herself because she thinks it's wrong. Tohma, she's tearing herself apart piece by piece. Soon, there won't be anything left."

"I know. I tried to convince her not to reinstate her relationship with you, but she would hear nothing of it. I love her. The same way that I love you: more than anything or anyone else in the world. I have accepted that Shindou makes you happy and will not interfere with your relationship, but Tora, she's an entirely different story. She reminds me of a little kid that thinks she invincible, and I need to protect her. You agree with me, right?"

"There's no way that I couldn't. I remember you telling me that she tried to commit suicide after I left. God, I would never forgive myself if she succeeded."

"Nor would I. We really need to keep a close eye on her through this ordeal. At least until the press simmer down on the relationship between the two of you."

"Oh and, Tohma, I'll stay with you until Mika returns, but then I'm going home. If you want to have an affair with her, my lips are sealed."

Tora didn't go home. There were too many things swimming in her brain, refusing to cease their nagging on her already tired mind. She wanted Eiri to be happy again even if it meant that she had to give him up forever. _Sap_, she scolded as she drove. _You sound like some stupid character out of Eiri's novels. It's degrading._ True but degrading. That seemed to be the theme of her life. The only two men that she loved with all her heart were happily married or taken. Well, not so much happily with Tohma but married all the same.

She felt more deeply connected with Tohma than Eiri, which was the result of severance for six years. Nonetheless, she still cared about Eiri and was not going to back down from any deed that she could contribute to. So, rather than returning to her residence, where she had informed the boys she was going to be, she took a journey further south, a very unfamiliar one.

She parked across the street from her target, corroborating the address with the one on the paper that Eiri had given to her the day before. There were boxes piled into a black car parked in the driveway. The door was ajar, clearly representing the departure of one of the house's inhabitants. A short male with strawberry hair stepped out of the house, arms laden with another box. She exited her vehicle, approaching the boy in absence of doubts. Her cerulean eyes studied the boy's movements. Apparently he was unaware of her presence.

"Are you Shuichi Shindou?" she asked strongly, examining his demeanor.

"Who wants to know?" he replied cautiously.

"My name is Tora. Tora Lireal. I'm a friend of Eiri."

"Oh, yeah. You're the reason that I'm moving out. What can I do for you?" he snapped.

"First off, cut the snide act out and pull your head out of your ass. It's starting to come out your mouth. Secondly, take all your shit back inside and work out this thing with Eiri."

"Look, lady, you don't know anything about me and Eiri, so back the hell off!"

"Listen, I know enough to know that Eiri cares about you! Drop you're pride for a while!"

"Whatever! You've got nothing on me!"

"Kid, I don't want to do this to you, but if I have to, I will go over your head and make your and your band mates life a living hell. I'm very friendly with your producer."

"Why are you doing this? Don't you want Yuki all to yourself? Why convince me to get back together with him? What's in it for you?"

"You didn't strike me as the suspicious kind, or did Eiri teach you that? You don't know me, kid, and quite frankly, my reasons are none of your concern. Think about what I said. I'll be in touch," she called over her shoulder as she made her way to the car.

Shuichi stood by the car, mouth opened in amazement. There was something that was motivating her to do this, and Shuichi thought that she was out of her mind. No fan of Eiri's would want to give him up, but then again, she wasn't a fan. She was a friend. Maybe she actually wanted him to be happy. He stared at the car loaded with his personal affects. Sighing, he grabbed a few boxes and returned them to the house. He wanted to see exactly how this even unfolded.

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Tornado: Whew. That actually took a while to write. It was difficult maintaining the characters' demeanor and making them say what I wanted them to say. I thought a bitchy Shuichi would be a different change cause we all know how he gets when he doesn't have his Eiri! Anyway, R&R. 


	5. Trips Down Memory Lane

Tornado: Hiya peeps! We're getting ready for yet another chapter. Thanks to those people that read the last one and an even more thanks to those that reviewed. For all of you who may be wondering, this is an Eiri/Shu fic, but it just has past references to Tora/Eiri. With that said, on with the fic.

* * *

**Trips Down Memory Lane**

Eiri collapsed on the leather sofa in Tohma's house. Tohma sat opposite him, eyes scrutinizing his tired form. A sigh escaped the younger blonde's lips, and he began fiddling with one of the innumerable pillows.

"It is oh so obvious that you're married. No sane guy would have throw pillows."

"Mika's convinced that it's not a home unless there's no room to sit. I can't even lay on my own damn couch!"

"I suppose she's trying to make some show room model house, but it's not like anyone is ever going to photograph it and put it in a magazine."

"You know women. Was Tora's place that way?"

"Nah. Her place looked like any other bachelor's pad. Sophisticated, homey, and a place to do some serious drinking."

They laughed, both knowing that the girl would center her entire house on booze. Tohma rose and ventured into the kitchen, retrieving a beer for both himself and Eiri. The two blondes could have been mistaken for brothers as they sat in the living room, sipping the intoxicated drink. Another sigh disturbed the air.

"What should I do about Shuichi? I mean, if it was Mika, what would you do?" Eiri questioned.

"Well, then I wouldn't have to worry because I know that she wouldn't be bitching, but if I was in your situation, I'd call and apologize. Now, I know that's your favorite activity, but I think that if you really care about the kid that you should. It will help you in the end."

"What do I say? C'mon, you know how hard it is for me to do something like that."

"You'd be well advised to tell him the truth. Of course, I'm assuming that you didn't explain what exactly Tora was to you."

Silence emerged, conquering the room and confirming the elder's suspicions. Eiri battled himself to reach a decision and take a course of action. His eyes clouded over and stared blankly off into space. For once, perhaps he should retire his pride and do something that was right, but the thought was nearly impossible to make a reality.

"How can I? Tohma, even if I was able to subdue my pride it wouldn't take much to revive it. You know how I hate being in positions in which I don't have complete control."

"Eiri, no one can make this decision for you, but if he's causing you that much pain, maybe you should forget about him."

"Don't start that again! We were doing fine until you interfered the first time! Things are already bad enough as it is!"

"Do you thin Tora would want you to handle it any other way?"

"At least Tora would butt out when she saw that I didn't need her help! In the end, Tohma, it's my life that's affected, not yours. You never seem to get that. Just like when Tora was cutting. It wasn't hurting you, and she needed to feel alive. That's the reason that I didn't stop her. She never opposed you because she knew that you wouldn't let it go."

"In the end, it would hurt me. Seeing either one of you hurting that way, it tears me up inside."

"Tohma, please, for Tora and my sake, stop trying to play God."

Tora closed the door of her apartment. It was empty just as it was every other time she came home. She was already starting to miss Eiri. The door to her den was ajar, giving outsiders a small view of her sanctuary. The walls were black as night. There were many dragon shaped lamps strategically placed around the room to give minimum amount of light. Figures of mythical animals presided over the dark haven. Stacks of CD's and a myriad of fantasy novels were also among the numerous trinkets.

She ventured into her asylum, booting up the computer. The phone rang, and she decided to ignore it after checking the caller ID. The mood that controlled her was not one that would allow for dealings with her editor, who would waste her precious time babbling about how she needed to finish her novel on time. As if to justify her actions, she turned the stereo on as loud as she could tolerate and began to lose herself in her make believe world.

Nearly four hours had passed since she began her creating. There had been no other interruptions to distract her from the matter at hand. There was proof of this in the ache in her eyes and head. She groaned, realizing that there would be no more productiveness tonight.

Staring around the room, she spotted a lone picture perched on a bookshelf by the door. Memory provided the image of a young Tohma and Eiri, laughing gaily at some antic. It was the only photograph displayed in the room of fantasy, and it was also the only public indication in the house that she even knew the boys. A sudden urge caused her to go searching for the other remnants of her past.

It was nearly midnight when she found what her rescue mission had been searching for. The cardboard box was nestled safely away in the linen closet, patiently waiting to be unpacked. She transported the box to the living room, which had the ample space that she needed to operate on her patient. Her surgery table was a coffee table that she had cleared specially for the activity, and she began the pre-surgical tradition of preparing the mind for the things that would be discovered in the routine. With shaking hands, she commenced.

There were Nittle Grasper albums lying on top. All those that had been released to be factual. Each one had a total of three signatures, courtesy of Tohma. It had been ages since she listened to their music. She fiddled with a bright green colored one, sighing as she rose to place it in the stereo system. A slight jump arose when Ryuichi's voice blared from the speakers.

She flipped the cover, discovering that she had selected the one in which the only two songs that Tohma had ever authored were recorded. Tohma had never been one to inscribe his thoughts and feelings the way songwriters and musicians were fabled to. Once in a blue moon, Tohma would devote himself entirely to perfecting a single song. Most times he would get frustrated and give up, but there were times that he could finish one.

Sighing again, Tora continued sifting through the rubble of her prior life. There were two shoeboxes full of pictures. She took them out and set them to the side. There was also a ton of letters. Letters that she had meant to send to Tohma. Letters that Tohma had sent her. There were a few letters, she saw, that had Eiri's signature at the bottom. From a quick scan over the letters, she saw that they had been sent a month after he had left New York. There were also letters that she had meant to send in reply to him, but had thought better of it and stored them in this box with her other memorabilia. She began to read.

After nearly two hours of reading, she figured the task would be a lot better with alcohol. She knew that she was probably addicted, but she only drank at night when there was nothing else to do. She rose to venture to the kitchen where she was sure that bliss awaited her.

Her mind flipped back to the night before when she and Eiri sat in her living room, conversing about what had been and what could have been. It was nice spending the night with him, hearing his soft breathing as he fell asleep. It was a much-needed flash back to what had occurred eight years prior. She had been surprised that talk of Tohma had been as scarce as it was.

A large mouthful of horrible tasting liquid flowed smoothly down her throat. She hated whiskey and almost always had, but her ex had taught her how to drink it. He usually drank at least two glasses after work. It was then that she learned of the miracles that it could bring. After two glasses of the awful concoction, one could be more of him or herself in the face of stress.

She forced her mind to veer from another subject that caused her pain. Her ex, the last steady one she had, was always accompanied by sorrow when he entered her thoughts. It was ironic that the same end that the two of them had incurred was the same thing that Eiri had just done. Get in a fight with your lover; sleep with someone from your past. She was going to try her damnedest to make sure that the final result was not another control factor in the cases.

She polished off a second glass of whiskey, returning to the living room. She placed one of the shoeboxes on her lap. The alcohol helped calm her nerves enough that she wasn't shaking when she opened the lid. She removed a handful of pictures. Most were of the cityscape (Twin Towers, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, ect.) Then she began to tour the school that she had been attending at the time. That was when the real pictures began, evoking images that were recorded nowhere else but the mind's eye. She continued her gaze into the past until she fell asleep.

Eiri was awake at dawn. He scribbled a note to Tohma stating that he'd be going and thanking him for the hospitality. He made coffee and stole one of Tohma's travel mugs. He didn't bother adding it in the note.

It was a little after seven when he walked out of his brother-in-law's house. He wanted to go home. It had been two nights since he had spent the night in his own bed. He half-hoped that Shuichi would still be there. He wasn't sure why, but he just wanted to set the record straight between the two of them.

Shuichi's car was still in the driveway when he arrived. Relief washed over him as he unloaded the trunk and scurried into the house. The smell of eggs and the clanking of a spatula greeted him. As he ventured into the kitchen, he discovered that there was no longer a magenta haired idiot in the house, but rather a blonde one.

"You dyed your hair again," he whispered to the man.

"Yeah, well, blonde is my color of choice when I get my heart broken," came the harsh reply.

Eiri watched sadly as his lover continued to ignore his presence. He stood in the doorway, knowing that any further intrusion would cause the man to go into fits of… something. He could tell that his companion was trying desperately to keep a cap on all the emotions that he was feeling, hopefully preventing him from "injuring" the other man.

"I think that you and I need to talk about what's going on here. Please, you really need to hear me out," Eiri stated, having his fill of the silence that had fallen over them.

"I think I understand perfectly. You got drunk and fucked some girl from your past. It's starting to remind me of the situation with Tohma. You remember that one, don't you?"

"Dammit, Shuichi!" he cried angrily, slamming down one of his fists. "You don't have the story straight! You only think that you do! Now, if you'll quit your useless whining and listen to a goddamned word that I'm saying, you'll get your fucking story straight!"

The younger man glared for several minutes before complying with his wishes. He took a seat in the head chair at the kitchen table, the seat that Eiri traditionally held. The writer smothered a growl that was threatening to escape. There were a few things that eh had learned in his relationship with the boy. One of those things was that he was no longer inclined to accept the harsh treatment that the man had once shed upon him. Calming himself, he took a seat next to his lover and began his tale.

"What happened that night was not intentional and will never happen again. I know that you're thinking promises, promises, promises, but for once it's the truth. Both Tora and I agree that it was not supposed to happen."

"The fact remains that it did. You're right, I am thinking promises, promises, promises."

"It's not like I took an oath to be faithful to you! I used to screw around all the time when we just started going out. You never really complained then."

"Well, I certainly hope that we've advanced from that point. It's been two years, Eiri. "Hell, Rage has said that she loves me more times than you have."

"I know you did not just compare me to that psycho bitch that tries to kill you every time that she sees you. Besides, we've already established that what Kitaziwa did to me has affected me in the worst way."

"We've also established that you were 'cured' when his broth…er…sister did that lil' thing with the impression-thingy, need I remind you. You're just using it as an excuse because you're afraid of commitment."

"Well, whatever, anyway, you wanted to know about Tora, right? Ok, well as I had told you earlier, we were good friends growing up. In the end we turned into more than just friends."

"Was that before or after you and Tohma were a couple?"

"Neither, it was during. That's where the whole thing gets complicated. When the whole thing 'began', we were three sets of couples, and one night we just kinda decided to combine all of them."

"Ok, I don't understand, and I don't know if I want to, but anyway. So, the other night was what? A mistake? A reawakening? What was it?"

"A little bit of both. It was the reawakening of old feelings that led us to the point that we went to, but it was a mistake to have done so. Trust me, it's not going anywhere. She won't let it."

"She didn't seem to have a problem that night. How do I know that she won't rape you or something? Or maybe she'll miss you so much that she'll tempt you into her house and then cast a spell on you to make you stay?" the boy babbled ridiculously, signaling to Eiri that he was back to his old self.

The blonde man shook his head incredulously. The boy had allowed the anger to be released, restoring the entropy in the household. A small smile played on his lips, contentment displaying itself proudly. The young one smiled as well upon the sight of his achievement, but soon gave him a look that said that he expected an answer.

"You remember how I said that there were three couples? Well, the third partner in this whole affair was Tohma, and ever since he and Mika lost the baby, things haven't been real great between them. If she needs a blast from the past that badly, I guarantee you that, even if I wanted to, Tohma wouldn't let me get within ten feet of her. He cared about her more than I did. Although there is the whole factor that since Tohma got married, she has barely even seen him, let alone allow her morals to bend enough to fuck him."

"How do I know that you won't try to get back in her bed? I mean you said you used to care for her a lot right?"

"I used to love her, but again she wouldn't let it happen. She fucked up once, I'm pretty sure that she won't do it again. Is there something that _you're_ not telling me?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you've been acting awfully strange, and you're very careful with your questions. You're never this word conscious about anything."

"Ok, so she stopped by yesterday and convinced me to wait until you got home today before leaving cause I was packing my shit and heading to Hiro's."

"Would Ayaka have appreciated that? You just showing up on their doorstep? God only knows what you could have interrupted."

"And to think that she's the daughter of a family that runs a temple, and that she was engaged to you."

"I'm glad Hiro took her off my back. That bitch can get really annoying."

Shuichi laughed and threw himself onto Eiri's lap. The man put his arm around him. He made a mental note to do something for Tora to repay his debt.

Tornado: whew that took a long time to type. Sorry for the delay. R&R.


End file.
